Enc.

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

CHAIRMAN

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

 Albany, New York

MEMBERS

Henry Anderson, M.D.

 Madison, Wisconsin

Josie Beach

 Kennewick, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson

 Rexburg, Idaho

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

 Iowa City, Iowa

Michael H. Gibson

 Franklin, Ohio

Mark A. Griffon

 Salem, New Hampshire

David Kotelchuck, Ph.D.

 New York, New York

Richard Lemen, Ph.D.

 Canton, Georgia

James E. Lockey, M.D.

 Cincinnati, Ohio

Wanda I. Munn

 Richland, Washington

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D.

 College Station, Texas

David B. Richardson, Ph.D.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

 Elysian, Minnesota

Phillip Schofield

 Bosque Farm, New Mexico

Loretta R. Valerio

 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.

 Lafayette, Indiana

STAFF

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Theodore M. Katz, MPA

 Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos

 Atlanta, Georgia

July 27, 2012

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary 

Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Madam Secretary:

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has 

evaluated Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00199 concerning 

workers at the Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center in 

Winchester, Massachusetts, under the statutory requirements established 

by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program 

Act of 2000 (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13.

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded to:

“All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor 

agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors who worked at 

the Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center in Winchester, 

Massachusetts, from January 1, 1952, through December 31,

1961, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work 

days, occurring either solely under this employment, or in 

combination with work days within the parameters established for 

one or more other classes of employees included in the Special 

Exposure Cohort."

This recommendation is based on the following factors:

• Individuals employed at the Winchester Engineering and Analytical 

Center during the time period in question worked on technology for 

extracting uranium and thorium from uranium-bearing ores and on 

procedures for reducing radiological hazards associated with mill 

operations.

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

review of available monitoring data, as well as available process 

and source term information for this facility found that NIOSH 

lacked the sufficient information, which includes in vivo and in-vitro 

monitoring data, to allow it to estimate with sufficient accuracy the 

potential internal and external exposures to uranium, thorium, or 

their progeny to which employees at this facility may have been 

subjected. The Board concurs with this determination. 

• NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for 

these Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center employees 

during the time period in question. The Board also concurs with 

this determination.
The Secretary July 27, 2012

Based on these considerations and the discussion at the June 19 to 21, 2012, Board meeting 

held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Board recommends that this class be added to the SEC.

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting(s) where this SEC class was 

discussed. The documentation includes copies of the petition, the NIOSH review thereof, and 

related materials. If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly.

Sincerely,

[Signature on file]

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH

Chairman, ABRWH

Enclosure